Signing day: Plenty of local standouts take advantage of new early signing period

Four Cathedral High School football players commit to colleges and sign letters-of-intent, Indianapolis, Dec. 20, 2017. Hear from Markese Stepp, who signed to University of Southern California and Emily Ekiyor, who signed to Alabama.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar

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From left, Hugh Davis signs to play football at Boston College and Markese Stepp signs to University of Southern California at Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. (Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)Buy Photo

INDIANAPOLIS – For more than 17 months, Markese Stepp’s name was attached to Notre Dame. When the star running back at Cathedral committed to the Irish in the summer before his junior year, it seemed like not only a good fit for Stepp on the football field but for his wardrobe as well.

Stepp, the nation’s No. 12 running back recruit by 247sports.com, has spent the past couple of weeks giving away his Notre Dame gear after reopening his recruitment. He officially won’t need it after signing with Southern Cal, a longtime Notre Dame rival, on Wednesday at Cathedral.

“I just gave (my Notre Dame clothes) away to all the Notre Dame fans here, to be honest,” Stepp said. “It was a lot of stuff. I have a little bit of USC stuff, but I’m going to try to get more.”

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From left, coach Rick Streiff smiles for a photo with Markese Stepp, who signed a letter-of-intent to play football at University of Southern California on signing day, Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. (Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

Stepp committed to USC two weeks after pulling his commitment to Notre Dame. The Trojans have long held a reputation as “Tailback U”, the latest star being Ronald Jones II, who is projected as a second- or third-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Stepp said he “kind of knew” where he wanted to go when he pulled his commitment from Notre Dame, although programs like Indiana, Iowa and Louisville also made a strong push.

“When I went out there I didn’t really think about the ‘Tailback U’, I just wanted to go somewhere I could do my best,” he said. “I felt like USC was the place, which is why I went there.”

This is the first year for an early signing period in college football. The three-day window from Wednesday to Friday is a chance for recruits — and coaches — to solidify spots in the recruiting class before the traditional signing day (which is Feb. 7, 2018).

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From left, Hugh Davis signs to play football at Boston College, Markese Stepp signs to University of Southern California, Emil Ekiyor signs to Alabama and Daijon Collins signs to Indiana State, at Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. (Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

Ekiyor, a one-time Michigan recruit, said the Alabama staff planned to secure almost all of its fifth-ranked recruiting class in the early period.

“Once I switched my decision to Alabama I was pretty sure I wanted to sign early,” Ekiyor said. “I wanted to get this process over with and be a part of the Crimson Tide. I think from a numbers standpoint, (the coaches) want to get it done so they can figure out their classes a little earlier.”

Davis took his official visit earlier this month to Boston College, where former Cathedral standout Ben Stewart was his host. Davis said he had still been hearing from a few schools, but the trip solidified his commitment to the Eagles.

“(The Boston College coaches) wanted the majority of the class to sign early,” Davis said. “The majority of us did. There are a couple more high-profile guys they are waiting on for February, but for the most part our class is locked up.”

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Family members pose for a photo with Hugh Davis after he signed a letter-of-intent to play football at Boston College for signing day, Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. (Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

Jackson Barrow, a senior linebacker at Cathedral, decided to wait until February to sign. Barrow, a Toledo recruit, wore a Toledo sweatshirt to a signing ceremony for his classmates on Wednesday in the Cathedral cafeteria.

“I’m still committed to Toledo but we’ll see what else is out there,” said Barrow, who is still talking to Ball State and Indiana State. “Toledo sees me playing (middle linebacker) and I think I fit their style really well.”

It was an Indiana connection that helped lead Stepp to USC. Deland McCullough, an Indiana assistant from 2011-16, joined the Trojans as the running backs coach in March. McCullough recruited Stepp during his time at Indiana.

“He was the first person to offer me while he was at IU,” said Stepp, whose father Marcus Stepp played with McCullough in college at Miami of Ohio. “We had a good relationship. They are down-to-earth people. It felt like the right fit.”

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Emil Ekiyor after signing his letter-of-intent to play football at Alabama on signing day, Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. (Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

Ekiyor (Alabama), Lawrence Central linebacker Cameron McGrone (Michigan) and Stepp (USC), the top three recruits in the state by 247sports, all signed on Wednesday. IndyStar Mr. Football Reese Taylor signed with Indiana and his teammate, running back Johnny Adams, signed with Cal. Other top-10 recruits in the state to sign were Decatur Central athlete Tyrone Tracy (Iowa), Avon wide receiver Isaac Guerendo (Wisconsin) and Hamilton Southeastern defensive back Madison Norris (Indiana).